초록 ▼

A container having sides with contours that readily and essentially automatically orient the container upon grasping the container. The container may have distinct, discontinuous contours on opposite sides, defining grasping sides of the container. If a dispensing portion is offset from the containe

A container having sides with contours that readily and essentially automatically orient the container upon grasping the container. The container may have distinct, discontinuous contours on opposite sides, defining grasping sides of the container. If a dispensing portion is offset from the container's central axis, then upon grasping the container at the distinct contoured grasping sides, the dispensing orifice is automatically positioned at a predetermined orientation with respect to the user's grasping hand. Such contours thus provide a tactile indicator of the orientation of the container, permitting orienting of the container in a user's hand without the need for visual assessment or inspection of the container. The container closure may further be shaped and configured to provide another tactile indicator of the container orientation. For instance, the closure may be asymmetrical. Preferably, such asymmetry is about the axis extending between the container's contoured sides.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A palm-held container sized to fit in a user's hand, said container comprising: a central axis;a top dispensing end and a bottom end at opposite ends of said central axis;a side surface extending between said top and bottom ends;a front-back axis substantially perpendicular to said central axis a

1. A palm-held container sized to fit in a user's hand, said container comprising: a central axis;a top dispensing end and a bottom end at opposite ends of said central axis;a side surface extending between said top and bottom ends;a front-back axis substantially perpendicular to said central axis and defining: a front side of said side surface at a first end of said front-back axis, anda back side of said side surface at a second end of said front-back axis opposite said first end, said back side including a label panel having a substantially flat surface in a direction along said central axis; anda side-side axis substantially perpendicular to said central axis and to said front-back axis, said side-side axis defining: a left side of said side surface at a first end of said side-side axis, anda right side of said side surface at a second end of said side-side axis opposite said first end;a closure at said top dispensing end and having a dispensing orifice offset from said central axis and proximate said front side;a left depression defined by a left upper contour and a left lower contour, said left upper and lower contours converging proximate said front side and said top dispensing end to form a discontinuous left perimeter at least partially surrounding said left depression;a right depression defined by a right upper contour and a right lower contour, said right upper and lower contours converging proximate said back side and said top dispensing end to form a discontinuous right perimeter at least partially surrounding said right depression;wherein said left and right depressions are spaced apart circumferentially by said front side and said back side; wherein said front side is continuously convexly curved and does not have contours; wherein said front side fits in a palm of the user's hand; wherein said left upper and lower contours are circumferentially spaced apart a distance to facilitate a thumb of the user's grasping hand to fit within said left depression; and, wherein said right upper and lower contours are circumferentially spaced apart a distance to facilitate at least one finger of the user's grasping hand to fit within said right depression. 2. The palm-held container of claim 1, wherein said left and right depressions are curved and sized to receive the thumb and the at least one finger of the user's grasping hand, respectively. 3. The palm-held container of claim 1, wherein said bottom end is closed. 4. The palm-held container of claim 1, wherein a first portion of the left side is indistinguishable from a second portion of the right side. 5. The palm-held container of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said back side is continuously convexly curved about said central axis and about an axis perpendicular to said central axis. 6. The palm-held container of claim 1, wherein one of said front and back sides has a widest portion midway between said top end and said bottom end. 7. The palm-held container of claim 1, said closure further comprising a flared skirt and a top surface extending transverse to said central axis along said side-side axis to permit tactile identification of said dispensing end. 8. The palm-held container of claim 7, wherein said closure is a toggle-type closure with said dispensing orifice opposite said back side and proximate said front side. 9. A container comprising: an open top end;a closed bottom end opposite said open top end along a central axis;a cylindrical sidewall extending along said central axis between said closed bottom end and said open top end to define an interior reservoir, said cylindrical sidewall having: a front side;a back side opposite said front side;a left side having a discontinuous left contour defined by: a first lower concave exterior boundary proximate said front side and facing said front side; and,a first upper concave interior boundary proximate said back side and facing said first lower concave exterior boundary; and,a right side having a discontinuous right contour defined by: a second lower concave exterior boundary proximate said back side and facing said back side; and,a second upper concave interior boundary proximate said front side and facing said second lower concave exterior boundary;wherein a first portion of said left side is indistinguishable from a second portion of said right side; and,a removable closure coupled to said open top end, said removable closure comprising: an oblique top having an actuator with a dispensing orifice disposed proximate said front side opposite said back side, wherein said oblique top slopes downwardly to provide tactile identification of said dispensing orifice;an annular edge;a flared skirt extending between the oblique top and the annular edge. 10. The container of claim 9, wherein said discontinuous left and right contours are spaced apart. 11. The container of claim 9, wherein said discontinuous left and right contours provide a tactile indication of desired container orientation. 12. The container of claim 9, wherein said closure is a toggle-type closure. 13. The container of claim 9, said cylindrical sidewall further comprising a label panel formed along one of said front and back sides, said label panel having a substantially flat surface in a direction along said central axis. 14. The container of claim 9, wherein said left are right sides are differentiated by said left and right contours and are otherwise indistinguishable. 15. The container of claim 9, wherein said container is oriented in a user's grasping hand in a position to dispense material from said dispensing orifice opposite a palm of the user's grasping hand.